Mercury in Retrograde – How to Be Productive﻿

Have you noticed your electronics breaking down or glitching out? Are you struggling with misunderstandings or having communication issues with people? Has your Wifi, computer, smartphone, and anything associated with technology been acting strangely? Are you forgetting words and sentences? Are emails and messages online randomly glitching out or disappearing altogether? Then there’s a very good chance you have been experiencing the side effects of “Mercury in Retrograde.”

Mercury is the plant that governs over communication, travel, how we express ourselves, how we talk to others and ourselves, and our thought process, and often electronics due to being part of communication get caught up in there somewhere. When Mercury is in its Retro cycle or appears to be moving backward, things can go a little haywire here on planet Earth from its influence.

Throughout this post, I will be referring to Mercury in Retrograde as Mercury Rx. Rx is the actual symbol used in Astrology for “Retrograde,” and it helps me shorten this down a bit.

I have been writing about what not to do during a Mercury in Rx cycle for many years now. And even though I believe strongly in the advice I give, especially about how we shouldn’t be signing contracts or starting new jobs or relationships, or going on any long distance trips, it just seems to get to a point where I’m constantly telling only the negative side of things of this aspect, which really is a drag. And then it feels like the Cosmos really has no other point of having the planets go backward or Retrograde but to simply annoy us! Which isn’t how it works.

So here are some facts about a Mercury in Rx cycle. Each Mercury in Rx cycle lasts for 3 weeks, and that’s not including its “Shadow Phases”, which are before and after a Mercury in Rx cycle. Each shadow phase lasts for three weeks as well, and they usually occur two times a year but sometimes even up to three times. So that makes each Mercury in Rx cycle a nearly two-month event, but mind you not everyone feels this fully during the whole cycle. Some people feel it more before, some folks have a harder time during, and a rare few more after the actual Retrograde cycle occurs and more so during the after Shadow phase. Everyone is different.

Being born during a Mercury in Rx cycle myself, I fully understand its effects on a deep level and just what really happens during its cycle. I’ve had my fair share of intimate Mercury Rx moments over the years, and I could go on and on! In some ways, I live in this electronic glitchy world full of misunderstandings and little mishaps all the time! Yes, heavy sigh, it’s frustrating but what can one do but learn from it. Therefore, I am pretty use to it, but still thoroughly annoyed by it! LOL.

But with all of that being said, I have also learned that “Energy Follows Thought” bottom line! No matter what the Cosmos is doing, I have proven to myself time and time again that if you focus on what it is you really want, you can ride the waves of any negative Astrological influence and come out of it with something more positive. Not to say that if you make a list of what not to do during Mercury in Rx that you won’t have issues, because whatever part of your Astrology “Birth Chart” Mercury Rx is transiting is the part of your life it will affect the most, and with this particular aspect there’s not a lot you can do to get around it, but I am here to guide you and try to help to the best of my ability.

Since I became aware of Mercury and it’s Retrograde cycles at a very young age, I have learned a great deal about how to align my energy better with the Cosmos, to seek and find balance. So I thought I would shed some light on how one can be productive during a Mercury in Rx cycle. So instead of explaining what NOT to do during this time, let’s focus on the progress we can make instead.

Astrologers are constantly explaining how during this cycle, communication is broken down, well that made me think about when something or someone is broken down it can be an opportunity to rebuild the energy back up again, and to align better with our soul path in life. Which means perhaps all the things glitching out or not working during this time, or the misunderstandings that seem to come along with Mercury in Rx, are being brought to us for a reason. Perhaps for a higher purpose, maybe to help us understand something we otherwise may not have noticed, and to bring us clarity! But you may be scratching your head and thinking with everything breaking down like computers or our Wifi, how do these random annoyances have any meaning or substance spiritually? The answer is simple, Mercury is telling you to UNPLUG and take a break, the Cosmos, the Universe is giving us a big time out! It’s time to get quiet and stop the constant chatter, get away from the constant movement and stimulus that plagues our lives nowadays. Listen to your higher-self and your spirit! And no it’s not conducive to be unplugged and miss work, or run away from the world everytime Mercury goes into Rx, I get it! But it does mean you can take a Vacation for even a day or two, and simply unplug from the outside noise. If that’s just impossible to do during this time than take just 30 mins a day during Mercury in Rx and really every day and unplug, and go meditate and recharge your own personal batteries. This is a time to find ways to turn your mind off, no more worrying or thinking constantly.

Sometimes we have to start over to achieve our goals, and during a Mercury Rx cycle, it should be the rule of thumb! It’s important to not get bent all out of shape and frustrated, and realize this is a time to re-work, re-do, re-learn, and do re-search. Don’t feel bad, trust me I can sympathize as I have already mentioned, I was born during a Mercury in Rx cycle and I have learned throughout the years once I do something, to do it again, so every time I listen and redo things the issues or situations I am involved in often seem to work out for the better. Just ask my second husband! Yes, I had to even redo marriage! But that’s the extreme example. The bottom line is it can be very frustrating for those folks who aren’t used to it. Taking the time to redo everything all the time frankly can be exhausting, but take my advice, as during a Mercury in Rx cycle it’s the best thing you can do for yourself!

Even the planet Mercury itself is going back through a part of your own personal Astrology “Birth Chart” right now, and a certain sign of the Zodiac as well, and therefore it’s backtracking to help you learn and understand something you’ve probably already have done or been through before. You have to take steps back during Mercury in Rx to move forward.

Here is a list to help remind you just what you can do that actually works during Mercury in Rx. Good Luck And Happy Mercury in Retrograde

How to be Productive during Mercury in Retrograde:

REWORK SCHEDULES: Take a look at your schedule and ask: What’s working or not? Be flexible during this phase, and just know you may have to change your game plan. Think about letting go of any responsibilities that aren’t yours or that aren’t working for you. It’s a time for cutbacks.

DECLUTTER: It’s a great time to get organized and get rid of stuff, and so many of you need to clear out old junk anyway! During a Mercury Rx cycle is the best time to get into your closet, basement, shed, or attic and rid of what you don’t use anymore. I mean go through everything, even old junk drawers and make sure and recycle. Remember when you get rid of old stuff, you are getting rid of the old energy as well that’s attached to it, and you are making room for new fresh energy to come in, which can bring in new beginnings, wealth, prosperity, and better health and overall Karma. Let’s not forget it’s a great time to dump Karmic debt as well. Also, remember your intellectual property as well, as it’s called nowadays, so anything to do with your online stuff, and smartphones and computers, try organizing and getting rid of old files, this will help you tremendously.

REVISIT: If there’s any friends or family that you haven’t contacted in a long time for whatever reason, now is the time to make amends and open your heart up to healing. Working on these relationships can help heal old emotional wounds, which is beneficial to your spiritual evolution. Catch up with old friends, go have coffee or meet up for dinner. Just make sure the people you choose to revisit are not dysfunctional or abusive, as that seems to be a reoccurring theme during Mercury in Rx, to help remind you of how you felt in some way so you can heal it.

SELF-CARE: It’s important to take care of yourself during this cycle, so working on self-care can be very helpful. Take it easy and make sure to eat right, exercise and move around more. Spend less time being plugged into the net or social media if at all possible. Start some sort of new routine that benefits you and your well-being.

CHANGE THE ENERGY: It’s time to change the energies up in your life! This is a time to clear space and energy, so add some nice candles to your home to help burn off old energies and invite new energy in. Put some color in your home or office and redecorate with pictures that make you feel good. Add fresh flowers and burn some incense. Bless and release the old energy that’s been in your home or office, and bring in a higher vibrational energy. There are many different ways to go about this. Just try it, and get creative and you’ll see and feel the difference.

BE FLEXIBLE: This is very important, so I am going to repeat it again, allow the energies to flow around you and stop trying to control everything!! Perhaps write a letter and let the Universe know what you’re trying to create in your life, and then sit back and relax. Just follow what feels natural and don’t fight, argue, or push others even if you feel totally frustrated.

REINVENT: Take some time to think about your past successes and bring new light to them, enjoy what you have created in your life, instead of trying to constantly manifest something new and different. Make sure to reuse what’s in your home and repurpose whatever you can, perhaps some DIY projects should be on the agenda during this period.

REWORK AND REDO: Work on any projects that you have already started and never finished. Work on anything you feel passionate about, but this time finish them to completion and enjoy the work you are doing. If there’s something you just couldn’t get done or finish, now is the time to redo it and fix it! Mercury in Rx cycles really does help us finish up old business.

ORGANIZE: Do you have 3000 pics on your phone or computer just hanging around? Well, this is a great time to organize your life. I like to organize my emails, pictures, and just anything on my computer and smartphones during Mercury in Rx. Take the time to organize your world in any way possible. Use this energy to make something creative perhaps as well.

REMEMBER: Connect to your past in some way, watch old videos of your family, wedding, or any memorable life event that was a happy memory. Check out old high school pictures of friends and family, and just simply reflect and reminisce about the old days. Fill your heart up with memories and simply feel gratitude for the time you had with them. Connecting to positive energies will help you feel good, and can help you move forward in your life once Mercury in Rx is back to its normal place.

If this is a confusing time for you and you need more guidance about how to handle Mercury in Rx, please get with me about a Reading session, and we can make a time to chat about how this particular Mercury in Rx cycle seems to be affecting your life, and together we can make a plan of action to help you get through it and do something more creative. It’s better than hiding under your desk or laying in bed thinking the sky is falling, right?

Good luck and just know this happens every year since you have been born, you have lived through these cycles year after year, so more then likely you will get through it, but just know you have support out there if you need it.